CompTIA A+. Any new hires have 90 days to become Network+ certified if they aren’t already. All Agilant Solutions project managers and project coordinators are CompTIA Project+ certified and the company has several depot repair technicians who are certified in CompTIA Mobility+. “Working with schools and CompTIA provides a workforce pipeline for our company,” he said. “It’s a fact that there’s a skills gap out there, but in my organization, we don’t have a problem finding skilled technicians or network engineers because of the pipeline we’ve created locally.” In fact, in the past 16 years, Agilant Solutions has hired more than 1,000 entry- level, A+ certified technicians. Now, much of Piñeiro’s work is focused on helping
the A+ Advisory Council and was co-chair of CompTIA’s Career Path Initiative. Additionally, Piñeiro works closely with public school districts throughout the country to help integrate CompTIA certifications into CTE curriculums and raise awareness of careers in technology to younger students. Given his upbringing, he is particularly passionate about providing opportunities to students who may not otherwise be exposed to technology as a career. The most recent example of this is Piñeiro’s involvement in Tech4All, a free event hosted this past spring in the Bronx. “The purpose and mission of this event was to let parents and middle and high school students know that technology is for anyone who has an interest and to show them what a career in tech looks like, what it has to offer, and how and where to get the skills necessary to get a high-paying job,” he said. “The people of the Bronx are fully capable of making a positive impact if given the opportunity and Tech4All made them aware of that opportunity.” Recently, Piñeiro was invited to the White House by President Trump to discuss strategies for workforce development with his staff—and it wasn’t his first trip to Washington. In 2014, he was invited by President Obama to discuss strategies to help our nation’s nearly 4 million long-term unemployed get back into the labor market. PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH Piñeiro is motivated by his passion for technology and helping others find success. But the fact that his company sees a business return on investment is also a key factor. Last year, Agilant Solutions received CompTIA’s Certified Team Award with more than 94% of the organization’s technical workforce being CompTIA certified. As the executive in charge of technology services for Agilant Solutions, Piñeiro has made CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ certifications a prerequisite for employment. According to Piñeiro, an applicant will not be granted an interview unless they possess
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CompTIAWorld | FALL 2019
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